The Shadow

Chapter 3

Nice Tom is gone, and cruel Tom is back.

"No. I'm staying here. Let her go." I spit back. "You proved your point enough."
"Well then," he answers, dropping the whip. "Let her go."
I stand in shock, he just let her go? No final whip? No, he's not like that. Someone has to replace her, I realize with dread.
"You." Tom growls, pointing at me, "Get in her spot."
The crowd is silent as I walk over to Jennifer Swan and carefully take the cuffs off her hands.
"It's ok, Jennifer. You're safe." I whisper to her and I sling her arm over my shoulder. "Hey!" I call. "Someone help me get her!" 2 men run forward and grab her as she collapses in their arms.
"Come on Hendricks. We don't have forever." Tom growls.
I look him straight in the eyes as I walk over to the metal pole.
"Actually no, Hendricks. I want you standing here please." He says pointing to a spot in front of him.

I walk over to the spot and plant my feet on the ground while glaring at him.

"Scared yet?" He sneers.

"No." I answer.

Hell yes.

"Fine then." He says, grabbing the whip and twirling it in between his fingers. "You will be."

He raises the whip and strikes it on my shoulder. Pain spikes through my shoulder onto my back and back up when he hits my back. I sink to the ground, gritting my teeth. Black clouds my vision as the whip repeatedly comes down on me. My back stings and I can barely comprehend what's happening when Tom walks in front of me. Tears run down my cheeks as he crouches down and whispers, "You shouldn't have done that." He raises his elbow and brings it back into my mouth. I scream as blood, dirt, sweat, and tears mix into my mouth.

"Tom. Enough." Another guard says.
Tears flow down my face as he roughly grabs my arm and yanks me to my feet. I cry out in pain as he lets me go, dropping me to the ground.

"Someone get her off of the ground. Now." Tom yells into the crowd.

Through my tears I can see Liam running forward.

"Leah, what did you do to yourself?" Liam mumbles as he gently drapes his jacket on my shoulders. I wince as the soft fabric touches my open wounds.
The last thing I remember seeing is Liam's face, as he picks me up.

________

I hear muffled voices talking when I wake up again. Blinking, I see an older man pacing in front of a younger woman, whose head is in her hands.
I try to sit myself up, but as I put weight on my arm, pain shoots up into my shoulder.
"Ughhh" I groan, running my hand up and down the mattress, trying to distract myself from the pain.
"Hey Sleeping Beauty." Van says, looking at me.

Where was she a few hours ago? Couldn't she stop Tom?

My back burns again just thinking of him.
"Hi..." I mumble back, trying to distract myself. "Where am I?"

"At Matthew's house." She answers warily.

"Wait who?" Suddenly, I'm fully aware of my surroundings: a small house with a fire place in the corner and lots of pictures. There's pictures of a girl holding hands with a guy, a family eating lunch, guards, Nixon's representatives and much more. I frown as I notice red lines connecting them.

Who is this guy? Matthew...Davis?

My face drops as I realize who this man might be.

"Can you call him over for me please?" I ask her. She silently gets up talks to Matthew. He nods, grabs the tea kettle off the stove and pours a glass of it.

"Leah," Van says coming next to me. I finally see how she looks and boy, does she look bad. Her usual neat, straight brown hair is piled on top of her head in a messy bun. Her hazel eyes seem darker than before, and she has dark circles under her eyes. She's also wearing a large sweatshirt over a pair of old jeans.